Heart Failure Is Becoming More Common in Adults Under 65, Report Finds

Two recent reports show that heart failure is on the rise among adults under 65. Portra · E+/Getty Heart failure hospitalization and mortality rates are increasing among adults under 65, highlighting a growing concern for younger adults. The global burden of heart failure has grown significantly since 1990, with researchers pointing to population growth and aging as major contributing factors. While the underlying causes of heart failure vary by age and region, managing risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity may help prevent the condition. An estimated 56 million people worldwide were living with heart failure in 2023, more than double the number in 1990, according to a new Global Burden of Disease (GBD) analysis published September 30 in JAMA Cardiology. Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Despite its name, heart failure doesn’t mean the heart has stopped beating. A separate 2026 report from the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) found that heart failure contributed to more than 450,000 deaths in the United States in 2023, with particularly sharp increases in mortality among adult…

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